Analyzing Psycho-Social Science and Professional Ethics in Healthcare

This report provides an analysis of psycho-social science and professional ethics within a healthcare context, centered around a case study of Liz Jackson. It explores the relevance of psychosocial theories, specifically the Health Belief Model and Self-Efficacy Theory, in understanding patient behavior and the ethical considerations faced by healthcare professionals. The report highlights the importance of ethical standards, patient-centered care, and the potential conflicts between professional advice and patient choices. The case study examines Liz Jackson's experiences, including her reluctance to follow medical advice and her subsequent health issues, illustrating the impact of personal beliefs and behaviors on health outcomes. The report also addresses ethical breaches by healthcare professionals, emphasizing the need for empathy, compassion, and adherence to professional codes of conduct. Finally, the report emphasizes the application of these theories in promoting positive health behaviors and enhancing self-efficacy among both patients and professionals, with an aim to improve healthcare practices.

PSYCHO-SOCIAL SCIENCE •
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
Psychosocial theories to health are those models that reflect the behavioural approaches
of service users and professionals. These are bifurcated into stage and social cognition models
(Sallis, Owen and Fisher, 2015). This assignment is based on the case study of Liz Jackson. It
will highlight about the relevancy of psycho-social science and professional ethics.
MAIN BODY
This part consists of understanding the theories and models to have a broader viewpoint
in terms of delivery of patient centred care. It shed light on the ethical standards and code of
conduct while identifying the gaps between professional-user and behaviour in the healthcare
practice.
In this context, Health Belief Model is refereed as one of the social cognition models
that specifies the belief systems and attitude of service users while going for any treatment.
Herein the major factors are basis on personality and socio-cultural components. However, this
model has four core components such as perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits and barriers
(Skinner,Tiro and Champion,2015).These perceived components refer to particular diseases and
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Illustration 1: Concepts of Psychosocial Theory
(Source: Psychosocial Theory, 2016)

their associated course of action for speedy recovery. Sometimes, this supports the professionals
like doctors, GP's, nurses to comprehend the risks, treatment plans and other related
consequences. In regard to the case study of Liz Jackson, she became lonely after her parents
died five years ago and she started increasingly spent alone time with her 3 cats. Along with this,
her inclination towards vegetarian lifestyle, Buddhism with new age philosophies and yoga made
her more introvert than ever before. She felt a desperate need of a purpose and was emotionally
vulnerable.
Moreover, this acted as hindrance when she started taking frequent visits to her General
Practitioner (GP) for minor complaints related to health. It was a routine BP check which
demonstrated high BP as compare to the ideal range. Therefore, her GP suggested her to follow
an antihypertensive medication under the GphC (General Pharmaceutical Council) standards.
Under this framework, it would have not only laid a safe, effective and legal method but also
would have helped Liz to recover soon. Although Liz was pestering for a herbal alternative, but
her GP recommended Amoldipine and sent her away. Nevertheless, she did not dispense it and
researched online for a more traditional alternate medicine which was natural and conventional.
She followed it along with extra yoga for a month.
This step directly reflected on her attitude and personality dilemmas that got clashed with
the professional advice given by the professionals to Liz. It is a clear indicative that explain the
healthcare related behaviours and beliefs while taking services in a professional outlook. By
taking help of internet and avoiding the prescribed medicines, Liz violated the guidance given to
her for the health prevention. Additionally, later when she was diagnosed with cancer due to a
small abnormal growth on the left breast. During this time, she was ready for surgery,
radiotherapy along with consumption of Tamoxifen, after her surgery for five continuous years.
If she had considered her GP's suggestion earlier, she might not have developed such critical
disease. Moreover, she should have been more aware that despite her healthy lifestyle without
any smoking and drinking, it would have been better to adapt to this western medicine.
Another theory which is applicable in context to this case-study is Self-Efficacy Theory.
It is one of the influential theories that emphasized on the skills, knowledge and ethical standards
that professionals has to consider while dealing with patients on regular basis. It is behaviour-
centric model and uses a variety of performance metrics to understand the locus of control and
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learned helplessness to define the generalized perceptions of individuals (Kroshus and et.al.,
2014). Hereby, the action plan of healthcare is internal and depends on the professionals' outlook
to bring the best solutions and control strategies.
When Liz underwent the surgery and stayed back in the hospital for monitoring, she was
under constant supervision for proper evaluation of her recovery state. For this purpose, when
Sonal, a junior pharmacist went to take down her drug history to note down the medicines list
and other supplements she consumed. However, Liz seemed reluctant and hesitant as well. This
might be due to the presence of her neighbour and other outpatients in her general ward. She was
vague and informed about some herbal alternatives. This led to suspicious doubts in Sonal's
mind, who later pulled out her Summary Care Record (SCR). Furthermore, while going back to
her home in the bus, Sonal shared this account with one of her friends. Both of them laughed and
termed Liz's behaviour as weird, eccentric and out of place. They did not know about her past
life, background and current problem areas. However, this did not stop them mocking her.
Lately, they also made fun of few such related cases.
This leads to the prevalent professional ethics issue. It has become common for these
professionals to make fun of different cases without giving a second thought about such
behavioural approaches and attitude. They do not understand that it is against the code of
conduct and might posed as a threat to their credibility and reliability in the future. This sector is
sensitive and see wide range of cases regularly. Thus, such professionals must become more
professional with empathy and compassion to deal with it in more effective and appropriate
manner. This theory helps in constructing positive consequences that assist in implementation of
action plan while treating the users (Robinson and et.al., 2014). With the help of applying this
theory on larger scale, it will help to enhance the self efficacy components. Lastly, it involves
educating the professionals to accept the behavioural changes in proper modelling while
practising any method in clinical studies.
CONCLUSION
It has been summarised that this case study has brought valid attention towards the
psychosocial science and the use of professional ethics. Above mentioned theories described the
significance of behavioural changes like stress, learned helplessness, social support etc. have
guided to understand the health education and promotion in more effective modes.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Kroshus, E. and et.al., 2014. Understanding concussion reporting using a model based on the
theory of planned behavior. Journal of Adolescent Health.54(3). pp.269-274.
Robinson, E.M. and et.al., 2014. Enhancing moral agency: clinical ethics residency for nurses.
Hastings Center Report.44(5). pp.12-20.
Sallis, J.F., Owen, N. and Fisher, E., 2015. Ecological models of health behaviour. Health
behaviour: Theory, research, and practices.5 pp.43-64.
Skinner, C.S., Tiro, J. and Champion, V.L., 2015. The health belief model. Health behavior:
theory, research, and practice. 5th ed. San Francisco (US): Jossey-Bass, pp.75-94.
Online
Psychosocial Theory. 2016. [Online]. Available
through:<https://slideplayer.com/slide/5037737/>.
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